Custom Remap/Badger5 Bookings - Deposit Required when booking in

There have been a number of occasions where I have been asked to book cars in for work, custom remapping etc, only for the people to not turn up, nor contact me to say they are unable to make it, and avoid my calls thereafter..

This costs me money.. Where I take bookings into the diary, it is a busy diary where I am typically booked 10-14days a head.

I cannot continue to take bookings like this where folks simply do not turn up. Its ignorent and costs me lost bookings for others.

It is the minority who as usual screw things up, but a growing minority it seems, who seem to not care less about what not turning up means to the likes of me.

So...
What I now ask of folks (at my discretion eg: those who I already know have the option of deposit and the 5% overall discount) is those who would like to book in, do so by also placing a non-refundable deposit @ time of booking, which becomes part payment against the final bill. For those doing this, and paying this 50% deposit, I will offer a 5% overall discount off the total bill.

Where I have quoted for a custom remap for example, I will ask 50% deposit with the booking. It is non-refundable, but transferable to a subsequent booking where I have been given at least 48 hours notice to their booked in date. The final bill will benefit from a 5% overall discount for those paying this deposit.

I have had enough of time wasters. It cannot continue. I'm sorry.

TIME WASTERS NAME AND SHAME:Final Straw: today someone called Ash off the 8L forum wanted an S3 hybrid mapped... no show, no contact.. A completely wasted booking day for me.

22nd August: Adrian with an S3, no show and hangs up when calling to confirm if there is an issue.. another no show.. nice..

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Sad to see, Bill, but understandable. My old local place started doing this. We chatted over a coffee when my S3 had an MOT when I first bought it in 2009 - he trusted me, but every phone call he took while we were chatting involved "there's a deposit system in place".

Those that have a problem with this are the minority that are likely to not bother turning up. I have no issue and look forward to finding a time for some servicing work/meeting you. And I need to stop reading your/Welly's/Paul's threads on FMICs and other mods that reduce my house deposit!!!!!

Mate, I think you are entirely within your rights to do this and as said above it won't cause a problem to those who are genuine folks. Those who lack the respect to let you know ahead of time that there will be problems with the booking deserve worse!

Seems to be common practice in most companies across the board, but seem to skip the motor trade/garages for some strange reason. Times are bad enough now without having the afternoon wasted by no shows.
I work in retail and will not order on anything without a 50% non refundable deposit.
At one stage we had â¬250,000 of one off special orders just sitting in our warehouse, and nobody
coming back to collect them.
Your bottom line will defo be the better for this move, best of luck.

+1 we have the same problems in OZ . - Now take full labour deposit at time of booking due to too many no shows. We also only do special orders with payment up front. What I find amazing are the people who order something / put it on hold, pay a deposit and never come back.

another timewaster today no shows.. another S3 owner off here - (Adrian, you know who you are)

sadly further reinforces the deposit with booking.

some people are "thoughtless"

ffs

Click to expand...

I have to post this.. Its almost unbelieveble.

Receive a call on landline today from an S3 owner with a stage 2 hybrid.. wanting to book in.. which I do for a week or so on next available slot.

No problems so far, however, the badger sense is tingling.... the voice sounds just like Mr Adrian Timewaster... but this time his name is christopher... Gives the same contact mobile phone number.. which matches Mr timewaster Adrian from previously..

I ask for 50% deposit especially given he no showed last time..
Replies> nope... can I come down now..
No I am fully booked until the date I gave you earlier..
Replies> I heard you are a bit of a plonker...
Yea right, I hang up

This is the sort of person I do not want as a customer... and the Exact person for the deposit requirement.
thoughtless
inconsiderate
ignorent
liar

You'd at least think they'd have the common decency to call and say 'I can't do it', but then we live in an egocentric world where people would rather stick their head in the sand rather than do the honorable thing.

what a *****, there is no need to waist peoples valuable time, you should just sign his phone up to loads of cold callers tbh, or i will if you do me his number lol im not bothered, shame you don't have his address.

you should seek info from dan (beachbuggy) to find out who he has made turbo's for as it seems most people have been getting there hybrids off him and sort together the info to point out who the fool is amongst us 8L owners!

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